Step CA is a modern, open-source certificate authority (CA) designed for securing software applications and systems through simplified and automated certificate management. Developed by Smallstep, it aims to provide organizations with an easy way to manage their PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) without the complexity traditionally associated with CA systems. Step CA supports the issuance, renewal, and revocation of TLS and SSH certificates, making it suitable for securing both internal services and public-facing applications. It is particularly focused on developers' needs, making it straightforward to integrate into CI/CD pipelines and Kubernetes environments.
With Step CA, users can define their own policies for issuing certificates, manage access controls, and automate the certificate lifecycle using built-in tools. The system also supports ACME protocol, which allows for easy management of certificates for web servers. Additionally, Step CA enables enhanced security by facilitating ephemeral certificates, which can be issued for short durations, thereby reducing the risk of credential theft. Overall, Step CA empowers organizations to adopt a zero-trust security model by making certificate management accessible and efficient.